Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-04-13
A GALE LURID WITH FlRA
MANY LIVES LOSTIN THE
PATH ON THE PRAIRIES.


HolOcaust-Hundreds of Head of Live
Stock Cut on by the ooDdagration-l
Countless Farm Houses and Barns ant
Thor Contents Laid in Ashes-Tht
stopping Place of the Rushing Elo
ments Only IL Matter of Copj ecture.
ATCHEsoN, KAN, April 12.-No lea
than fifteen persons have been burned
death by prairie fires, which, startinl
near Nicodemus, Graham county, bav
swept northwest on an air line into MOI
ton county, destroying everything in ID
path that in places Is from two and ono
half to seven miles wide-a great roarini
sea OF flame rolling in trem end
Gus sheets under the impetus o
high wind which prevail ed al
day and night Saturday. Starting on tn
South Fork Of Solomon river in Graham
county, the fire swept north to the Mort
Fork, which 1t crossed at Edmond Sta
ton on the Central Branch in Nortoi
county, and at last accounts IL was stil
sweeping toward the northwest dIagoH
ally across Norton county In the dired
ton OF Decatur, the adjoining county OF
the west, carrying destruction and dealt
in it's path. Thousands OF head d
SbOCh vi MI Aluub nave UGtn ant
thousands or tons or hay, corn and wheat
and from 100 to 175 houses and barns hav
been destroyed. The people living alon
the line OF the fire have been left home
less and destitute. 1t is impossible as ye
TO learn the names OF those who perIshed
Tremendous excitement prevails al
through the burned district, which ed
tends a distance of over sixty miles Il
length by two to seven in breadth, wit!
the fire still spreading towards th
northwest.
SWEPT ALONG BY A HURRICANE.
A special says: "RepOrts concerning th
destruction OF life and property caused bl
the great prairie fire that swept over thi
eastern portion OF Norton and Graham
counties on Saturday last are yet meagi1
and unsatisfactory, but enough is know
to appall the stOutest hearts. The FIR
started near Nicodemus, in GrahaH
county. The wind, which was blow
ing forty miles an hour, carried TIL
flames over and through the dry grass a
a frightiul speed. General destruction d
property commenced near Roscoe, II
Graham county. Here the fire spre a
over the country for fully two and a hal
miles in width, and as the wind carried
it north was constantly spreading unit
1t was seven miles wide where it crossel
but NOlbn iOAb VI .COlOulOu IlNGIg buI6
miles east OF Dinsmore. A few house
were burned, and every stable, with III
stacks OF hay and cribs of grain wa
burned, leaving hundreds of farmers al
| most destitute.
PITIFUL SIGHT.
at is pitiable sight to pass over th,
| burned district and see thousands d
| burned chickens, turkeys, and hundrsdl
| OF hogs, with occasional horses ane
numerous cattle. Almost every farmei
lost from fifty TO five hundred bushels D
corn, besides small grain. 1t Is def1nitelj
| known that from thirteen to sixteen live
we're lost in the two counties, but tnt
names have not been learned. Foul
children perlshed in one family. How
far the fire extended north from the Solo
mon is unknown, bus IL must have traV
eleC long distance.
ANOTHER PATH OF FIRE.
| CAT the same time another fire sweep
| down the south fork of the Solomon TO (
point near Millbrook, sweeping every,
| thing in It's path and burning six personi
TO death, a father, mother aud four chill
dren. and q large number OF cattle
| horses, hogs and poultry. In one IND
stance woman prematurely gave birti
to a child. When the fire was discovered
approaching her husband took her in hil
arms and started for plowed ground, bu
| before he reached it the wOman's clothinl
WAS on fire. He succeeded in putting Il
out and saving her lite. The babe, les
than an hour old, with the other memben
| OF the family, was saved, but the housi
and the other property on the farm werS
! destroyed. Hundreds OF narrow ESCAPED
could be related. Saturday was fright
| full day and one long 60 be remembered bi
| q great many families in Newton AMI
Graham Counties"
oUTRAN HORSES.
HURON, OAK, April 12.-Additional pan
ticulars OF Fridays prairie fire were
received here to-day. Near Broadland
twelve miles north, John Moriarity LOST
his barn, granary, span of mules and
farm implements. The fre originated ID
the vicinity Of the town OF Wessingtoi
Hills, and swept down toward the
town OF washington, thirtj
miles west Of Huron, burning
everything in its course. At least
dozen lost not only barns, farm imple.
ments, cattle, stacks of fodder for stock,
but also their dwellings and contents,
Beadle county has never before expert
enced such a fire. 1t was driven befort
the wind, blowing forty miles an hour
and Travelled faster than horse c0ule
run.
ROARING THROUGH DAKOTA.
SIOUX FALLS. OAK, April 12.-Reporh
Of loss OF property from the prairie nrs
during the terrible wind storm Of Fridai
end Saturday continue to come in. Etgh
teen miles west OF this city tremendoui
fire started aud swept the country fd
miles. Henry Strallen, George Fallof
John jacobson and 2. M. Hall lost thet
houses and contents and also their barn{
farm machinery, grain and stock. Jamtf
Hutchinson. Z. T.. Greelan, w. ;. Brooks
William IgO and Edward Walker lo8
their barns aud contents.
Other losses arc indefinitely reported
1t is the most destructive fire that bal
ever visited this part Of the country AMI
the total loss will exceed 100000.